Tri-Tip (Grade-A Beefcakes 3)

ys hadn’t shown any issues, which was what we’d assumed, but it was possible if the guy hit her just right, she could’ve cracked a tooth. We’d have to watch for an abscess, but she seemed fine. A little lonely without Parker. But who wasn’t?

This was the first time we’d been able to corner Poe since earlier, the afternoon had been booked solid.

But now he spilled what he’d done—what he’d said—and I was ready to kill him.

Poe ran a hand over his dark hair, and winced when he finished. It was as if saying it aloud made him realize how much of a dumbass he was. “I fucked up.”

“Really?” Kemp asked. He was a pretty even-keeled guy. Not much got to him, but this? Kemp was pissed. “You blew it with Parker. Jesus, Poe. She isn’t your mom. She isn’t that woman who got beat up by her husband. The one who thankfully got smart and left him.”

He paced the lobby. “I know, but that guy went after her!”

“And she took him down,” I added. Yeah, I wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of a drunk asshole coming after our woman either.

“Fine, you were overprotective,” Kemp offered. “She could understand that. Hell, she already forgave you for that, understood why when you told her about your dad. On top of that, no doubt Kaitlyn and Ava have shared how possessive their men are. I get that. She gets that. But you told her you’d spank her ass?”

“In front of Tom and Lucas?”

He swore under his breath. “And Mrs. Mitchell, Corrinne Borden and Marge.”

“From the florist shop?” I asked. This was worse than I thought. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “She’s the biggest busybody in the entire town! You used Parker’s kink against her. Turned her submission into something shameful in front of others.”

“I know, I know.” Poe groaned. “I didn’t mean it. I was just so angry that it just came out.”

“And what’s this about Porter? Didn’t we tell you at the barbecue to lay off?”

He glanced at me with those weird pale eyes. He was pissed, too. Yeah, I’d just scolded him, but he fucking deserved it.

“I was trying to help. To find her a job where she wouldn’t have to be in danger. Where I might be able to breathe.”

It made sense. It did. But it didn’t make it right.

“I want to keep her naked and tied to my bed, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to do it,” I countered. “She’s a grown woman. She’s got an advanced degree and police training. If you stifle her, she won’t be the woman we all love.”

Yeah, I loved her. I always had. This past week, fuck, had proved that sometimes people had a second chance. I just had to hope Parker would give Poe one.

“And fuck, Poe, spanking her ass? You just took a beautiful thing she gave us and turned it filthy.”

Kemp looked at his phone. “She’s not responding to texts.” He glared at Poe. Pointed. “You’re going to fix this. I don’t care how you have to grovel. Beg. Plead. Hell, let her spank your ass in front of the entire town. Just fix it.”

There was nothing else Kemp and I could do. We could track her down and tell her to reconsider how much of an idiot Poe was, but it wouldn’t work. Poe had to apologize. Make this right. He had to get whatever fucking demons were driving his actions out of his system, and the only way to do that was bare it all to Parker. Again.

I went to the front door, flipped the lock.

“Where are you two going?” Poe asked.

I looked at my watch. “Town council meeting. Parker will be there. We’ll make sure she’s okay, that there’s no fallout from what happened.”

“Great, I’ll come, too,” he replied.

Kemp stopped Poe by a hand to his chest. “No fucking way. Come up with how you’re going to fix this shit. In private.”

PARKER

* * *

I didn’t have time to sit at home and feel sorry for myself. I was so angry at Poe I wanted to track him down and Tase him, the dumbass. It wasn’t as if he would miss any brain cells. Unfortunately, the monthly city council meeting got in the way of any that. As sheriff, I had to offer a report on calls since the last get-together and any other issues I might want to share. The council, in turn, brought things to my attention as needed. Last month, they let me know a four-way stop had been put in on the south side of town and to expect many people to blow through it.

The meeting was in the community room at the library and I waved to Kaitlyn as I went in. I didn’t dare stop to chat at the check-out counter or she’d see I was upset and get me talking. The last thing I wanted to do was to cry before the meeting. It wasn’t well-attended, perhaps ten to twenty people besides the council, depending on agenda.